USC was in full pads for the first time Thursday afternoon, which meant some physical measuring up between the offense and defense.

Afterward, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Josh Henson shared his rather blunt critique of his group.

Quarterback Caleb Williams also talked with reporters, sharing his perspective on some early camp standouts, a freshman offensive lineman is turning heads, rush end Anthony Lucas keeps garnering praise, and we round up the other key notes and quotes from the day.

As we'll do after each practice, here were our top five takeaways from Thursday ...

RELATED: Photo gallery from Thursday's practice | Video interviews with OL coach Josh Henson and RBs coach Kiel McDonald | Video interviews with QB Caleb Williams and other players Thursday | Video clips from practice

As Thursday was USC's first fully-padded practice of fall camp, Henson was asked what he saw from the offensive line, and he gave a very succinct and purposeful assessment.

"I thought the D-line was more physical than we were," he said plainly, remaining mostly expressionless for a few seconds before a follow-up question came, asking why he felt that way.

"Because they were," he continued. "I thought they won more blocks. When we were hooked up on them and they were hooked up on us, I thought they competed more to get to the quarterback, get to the football. That was my impression watching it live. I may feel differently after watching the film, but that was my impression."

Henson surely knew that soundbite would make its way around social media and back to his linemen, and it seems it was merely a punctuation mark on the message he had delivered to the group on the practice field.

"That was my point to them after practice. It was kind of like, one-on-one pass rush, Elijah Paige probably had two of his better reps, but it took me to basically challenge him in front of everybody and him to get pissed off, and then he gets pissed off at me and he goes out and has two of his best reps he ever has," Henson said of the true freshman offensive tackle. "I'm like, 'That's my point. I cranked up your intensity, but you should be cranking up your intensity on your own. Why does it take that?' That's maturing and getting through it.

"I kind of sat back today and let us go, but I would tell you the same -- I just felt like the other side had the edge and we didn't respond. And I said, 'It ain't a good thing.' We've got to learn to respond. That happens sometimes. Those imbalances in intensity, they always happen in a game, but when you feel it happen you've got to respond on your side."

USC is breaking in three new starters on the offensive line but really nobody from last season is in the same spot.

Jonah Monheim has moved from right tackle to left tackle, Justin Dedich has moved from right guard to center, Florida transfer Michael Tarquin is now working at right tackle, Washington State transfer Jarrett Kingston is the first-team right guard and Wyoming transfer Emmanuel Pregnon is competing with redshirt senior Gino Quinones (who made two starts last season) at the other guard spot.

Despite his critiques, Henson reiterated his optimism for the unit -- he just wants to see it come to fruition more consistently at this point.

"I'm positive on the outlook of where we can go, but we've got to go there," Henson said. "I mean, it can't be -- and it hasn't been -- but you can't just have days where 'If we do this, we can be good. If we do this, we can be good.' At some point you have to do it. We have been doing it up to this point, I just wasn't too happy with our performance today to tell you the truth."

Gino Quinones exited the practice field at one point looking hobbled by an injury, but Henson downplayed any concerns there.

"He popped back out here and he was moving around pretty good so I think he thought it was more serious than it was, but it might just be a little ankle sprain or something. I think he's going to be OK," Henson said.

That competition between Quinones and Pregnon remains one of the most significant position battles of fall camp. Quinones has been the first-team left guard during the portions of practice open to media so far.

"It's a strong competition. Emmanuel has really picked up the playbook really well. Gino's improved a lot," Henson said. "So like a lot of things, when you get competitions both guys get better and they've both improved a lot. So it's going to continue on through camp."

Meanwhile, Henson indicated there is some degree of competition at right tackle as well between Tarquin and redshirt sophomore Mason Murphy, who started five games last season.

"Man, I tell you, I thought the two guys right now who are most improved are Mason Murphy and Mike Tarquin," he said. "It's funny, we're back to the competition, they're both at the same spot right now."

Head coach Lincoln Riley had indicated earlier in the week that he expected Monheim, Tarquin and Murphy to all be needed this season.

Speaking of Murphy ...

Henson wasn't the only one to praise Murphy on Thursday. Quarterback Caleb Williams identified him as one of three players -- along with Pregnon and freshman wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane -- who have impressed/surprised him so far in camp.

"He's been doing a pretty damn good job, to be honest with you and it's been fun to watch him and get out there with him," Williams said. "I'd say it's comfort and confidence. When you have those two things, when you get out there you get to be able to play a lot more freely and that's what he's been able to do. He's been able to tell other people what they're doing, with the young offensive linemen and things like that. ... An older guy doesn't have to tell him anymore. He gets out there, he does his job because he knows it."

Murphy has long been considered a future key cog on the line for the Trojans, but the story has always been one of untapped potential with the former Rivals250 prospect -- the highest ranked offensive lineman USC signed between the 2019-22 recruiting classes.

Murphy logged valuable experience last season, playing 305 snaps, mostly over the second half of the season. Per PFF, he allowed 9 pressures (with 1 sack) over 175 pass-blocking snaps, but overall he graded out at a modest 69.4 on the PFF 1-100 scale).

So where has he grown since last fall?

"It was mostly by strength. I lacked a lot of strength, especially coming in. I'm a longer guy so it's a lot harder to get a lot stronger, faster, but this offseason I really grinded, I really just put my head down and kept working," Murphy said.

"That was something that me and the coaches, everybody collectively thought that was something that needed to get better if I was going to be successful here. You can't be weak -- you have to be strong and you have to play with an edge."

He also added, "I think my consistency is better, obviously my knowledge of the playbook. ... A lot more confident, a lot more consistent and just playing with a chip on my shoulder."

Henson echoed all of those points in his own assessment.

"Mason has improved a ton, his consistency. He had a great offseason in the weight room, he's gotten a lot stronger, he's anchoring way better now in pass rush and he's just getting really consistent with putting himself in good spots where he doesn't lose fast," Henson said. "... He's doing really well. I'm real pleased with where Mason's at."

USC added four freshmen offensive linemen to the mix this summer, as guards Alani Noa, Amos Talalele, center Micah Banuelos and tackle Tobias Raymond joined Paige, the early enrollee tackle, to round out the big freshman OL class.

"They're very physical. They all are talented. They've all got a ways to go as a player. Learning the offense, getting in the right spot, and the more that they learn the offense the more they'll be able to focus on technique and get better at the technical things, the little things," Henson said of the group as a whole. "But so far I'm really excited about that group. For a young group, they've got a shot. They've got to work really hard to develop their talent, but they're very talented."

One of those freshman in particular is garnering notable early praise.

"Alani really, oh my God, there are some flashes. I mean, I'm telling you," redshirt senior lineman Cooper Lovelace said. "I know we can't show you guys film or anything like that, but if there was a moment where you guys could see some of the things he's doing, he's going to be an extremely elite player. He's going to be an extremely elite player, and they all are, they really are, especially with Coach Henson in the room developing guys, but it's fun to see, man, I wish I was 18 again."

Noa, a three-star prospect from Sacramento, is listed at 6-foot-4, 325 pounds on the roster and looks notably more svelte and well-built than he did in high school.

Murphy chimed in on as well ...

"Alani, Amos, Elijah is going to be a dog once he figures it out. But Alani and Amos are going to rock the world once they figure it out," Murphy said. "It's just their raw athleticism, it's just they're raw, and once they figure out how to play ball, they're going to be unstoppable forces."

Dedich, the true veteran of the unit, added his perspective as well on what the future holds for the USC offensive line.

"Great group of guys. It kind of reminds me of the [Andrew] Vorhees class I wasn't a part of, but the five of them, they just came in, they're really tight -- not to say they're excluded from our group, but you can just tell they're bonding really well together," he said. "Man, they're funny. Those Polynesians are something else. Tobias is a character, Elijah is a character. So it's a great addition to our room."

Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, was asked if there was any facet of the offense he was more confident in this year.

"Honestly, I think we'll be better in the run game," he said. "That doesn't just attribute to the offensive line. Obviously, that's 90 percent of it but then you've got the other couple percent, which is if you have a tight end in and the wide receivers in blocking and me catching the snap from center and handing it off to our backs would be the other part of it. It's a full 11 and we've all got to do our job, our 1/11th."

This is becoming a recurring theme in the comments from coaches and players so far.

Riley notably said prior to camp that he thought the Trojans would be even stronger on the interior of the offensive line from a run-blocking standpoint with the increased size Kingston and Pregnon bring to group.

"You just love the mass that we have in that interior part of the offensive line," Riley told TrojanSports.com. "I mean, Vorhees, even though we kind of had him off and on last year was a tremendous player for us. You kind of look at it now with Dede (Justin Dedich), Gino and Emmanuel and obviously Kingston, we're bigger, we're thicker, we're stronger across the board in that interior of the offensive line, which we're excited about.

"I think you look at it and say you feel like you're going to have an opportunity to probably create a little bit more movement and a little bit more push at the point of attack there, which was important to us to try to improve."

Dedich, who was an undersized right guard last season and is now in a more natural position at center with Brett Neilon graduating, offered similar sentiments.

"We're a big, physical group. Last year, we were a little smaller and faster, this year a lot bigger guys, excluding myself. So it's just kind of a different shift in physicality," Dedich said. "It's about driving guys off the ball. It's awesome to see, like Jarrett and E-man and big Alani, man, all those guys they get some great drive off the ball to drop the guys back a couple yards."

USC ranked 53rd last season in rushing at 171.14 yards per game, led by Travis Dye, who has since graduated.

Redshirt senior Austin Jones (705 yards on 5.2 yards per carry) returns while South Carolina transfer MarShawn Lloyd looks poised to perhaps replace Dye in a lead back role. Impressive freshmen Quinten Joyner, who could certainly have a role this year, and A'Marion Peterson, along with veteran Darwin Barlow round out the unit along with whatever versatile weapon Raleek Brown contributes to the ground attack.

Meanwhile, running backs coach Kiel McDonald suggested another way his group could be even more productive in 2023.

"I think any year you can make strides. You bring in new guys, you look at new schemes, we just try to become better. We've got new guys up front. So I think it can take a considerable jump this upcoming year," he said. "I thought that we could be more explosive at times. You know, Travis ... gave you everything that he had and same thing with Austin, but I think we've got a couple guys in the room that can really run."

-Here's what Caleb Williams said about Ja'Kobi Lane, the 6-foot-5 freshman wide receiver in singling him out as an early camp standout: "I'd say someone's that been progressively growing is Ja'Kobi Lane. It's been awesome. For a guy his size, he's been moving really well."

-Williams was also asked who has impressed him on defense.

"I'd say Mason Cobb has been doing an awesome job. He's always on point, and when he's not on point he's going 100 percent. That's always good to have on that side," he said. 'I'd say Anthony Lucas, ever since he got here he's been disruptive and it's been awesome. He's batted down a couple of my balls in practice and he's been making me better, changing arm angles and trying to get around him and things like that."

-Lucas received more praise from Mason Murphy, when he was asked which defensive linemen have stood out to him in practice competitions.

"I love going against Ant (Anthony Lucas), I love it. It makes me so much better, and Solomon Byrd, it's great to see him back on the field. He's one of our best pass-rushers, I love competing against him as well."

Asked if there was one play from Lucas that stood out, Murphy said: "Every play. He plays with an edge, he plays with tenacious attitude that's just attractive. It makes me want to go against him. Every single time he's on the field, you will feel him."

-Henson also commented on the progress he's seen from the defensive line his unit goes against: "I think they've gotten better, for sure. I certainly think that."

-Here were the players getting work as return specialists on Thursday ...

Kickoff returns: Makai Lemon, Dorian Singer, Raleek Brown, Raleek Brown and Quinten Joyner

Punt returns: Zachariah Branch and Michael Jackson III.

-Justin Dedich on the first day in full pads: "Everyone comes out juiced out. Everybody watches the 'Here comes the boom' highlight video or something. It's always a fun day, just ultra competitive, which is something that's just super fun to be a part of."

-Dedich on Emmanuel Pregnon: "E-Man's a good dude, funny character, he's fit right into the room from Day 1. ... He's the quiet kid, but then he pops that joke every once in a while and makes the whole room laugh."

-Kiel McDonald on the pass-blocking proficiency of the running backs: "I think we've made leaps and bounds, even after last year, and Travis was really good at it, but I think we're going to be a plenty good crew when it comes to protecting the quarterback. We do one-on-ones and team, getting a chance to identify where the blitz is coming from, how they close out, what they look like on contact. Just becoming more consistent in those types of drills."

-McDonald also confirmed that Raleek Brown, the electric five-star sophomore, will still get some work in the backfield even though he's working most in the slot this camp (as he did in the spring as well).

"We've got some plans for Raleek, we do. He'll be all over the place, and I'll just leave that for coach," he said.